One Piece : Admiral Falcon is Pissed off again today!

Chapter 577 577

Red Line, Mary Geoise.

After the new government, the "Angel Republic," was formally established, the capital was once again set upon the Red Line.

This location happened to be right at the center of the Four Seas and the Grand Line, making it geographically quite advantageous.

And Pangaea Castle was preserved as well.

Although this massive fortress-city was over eight hundred years old, it remained exceptionally sturdy.

Even after enduring the fires of the final war once more, it hadn't suffered the slightest damage...

After all, whether it was the Angel Alliance, the World Government, or the Celestial Dragons, all had deliberately avoided targeting this city.

That was one of the reasons it remained intact.

However, the difference was that this place was no longer the residence and playground of the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons. Instead, it became the administrative center of the Angel Republic.

Prior to this, various factions of the Angel Republic had already begun renovating this former sinful paradise of the Celestial Dragons.

The first area to be overhauled was that lengthy Auto Walkway.

This "Auto Walkway," originally powered by human labor, was transformed by Vegapunk.

Energy machinery replaced the human-driven mechanism, truly making the walkway "automatic."

And this also signified that the Celestial Dragons, who had once oppressed everyone...

Were truly gone.

After all, just a few days prior, every single Celestial Dragon who had survived the battlefield, without exception, had been sentenced to death.

Yet not a single commoner criticized the Angel Republic for being cruel; instead, cheers and celebrations erupted everywhere...

At this moment, the Angel Republic truly became the hero and hope of the common people.

Aside from the Auto Walkway, all the other palaces also began undergoing urgent renovations.

Traces of the Celestial Dragons were erased as much as possible... and these grand palaces were repurposed to their fullest potential.

After all, the number of staff in the highest echelons of the Angel Republic's government would only be greater than that of the former World Government.

The World Government's attitude of muddling along naturally didn't require many personnel to implement various tasks.

They only needed to serve the Celestial Dragons well and oppress the ordinary people sufficiently.

But the Angel Republic was different; its specialized departments far outnumbered those of the World Government.

So, within Pangaea Castle, besides the renovation crews, there were also numerous Devil Fruit Users, led by Perospero, constructing additional office buildings.

The eldest son of the Charlotte family possessed a uniquely exceptional talent in design.

"Although it's quite busy and a bit dusty... this is truly a scene full of vitality, with everything thriving and competing to flourish."

"Cobra... never mind, aside from being a bit dangerous, that word really fits the current scene."

Michael and Cobra were sitting atop the Empty Throne palace at this very moment, looking down from a commanding height over the entire Pangaea Castle.

These two—one the first supreme leader of the Angel Republic government, the other the King of Alabasta and Minister of Finance for the Angel Republic—were lounging casually on the palace roof, each holding a bottle of wine, just chatting away.

It was only because they had hidden in a spot not easily discovered that they hadn't been caught by the Chief Secretary, Nico Robin, and dragged back to the office to face the overwhelming pile of paperwork.

"So, Cobra... I'm starting to understand why you always looked half-dead back when you were king..." Michael sighed.

"This job... is absolutely not meant for humans! No wonder they negotiated a five-year term for the supreme leader... If there weren't limits on the term, how many people would be worked to death in this position."

"Ahaha, so now you finally understand just how much of a headache I had back then." Cobra, showing no awareness of being a king or high official, laughed like the drunk uncle next door.

"Even though we've already ended the World Government... I still want to thank you again..."

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for not giving up on Vivi."

"What nonsense are you talking? With our relationship, Vivi is like my own child, and Didi is like..."

"Hmm?"

"Didi is like my sister-in-law..." Michael said with a grin. "Alright, look at you, so petty you can't take a joke... But honestly, I never expected back then that Lily would... choose not to drain Vivi's life force but instead seek death..."

At this point, Michael sighed.

He was still deeply troubled by Lily.

This woman who had lived for over eight hundred years, after her Devil Fruit abilities were stolen by Blackbeard...

fell into a deep slumber.

It was somewhat similar to a vegetative state, but with subtle differences.

And now he had completely transformed into an old father who, aside from working, spent his time guarding the sickbed, waiting for his daughter to wake up.

"In the end, you still couldn't bring yourself to do it."

"Actually, I'm not someone with grand vision. On the contrary, when it comes to handling matters, I've always believed in keeping things small, even smaller... Protecting those I love and those who love me is enough..." Michael said with a bitter smile.

"But Lily... honestly, from a standpoint, I should have killed her. Yet every time I see her face, I'm reminded of how I saved her over eight hundred years ago in that filthy sewer... so small, so dirty... with only a pair of blood-red gem-like eyes staring straight at me."

"Ahaha, so it seems that's when you truly started seeing her as your own child." Cobra took another swig of wine and mocked.

"You daughter-obsessed fool."

"Tsk, be careful or I might get drunk and kick you off the roof."

"Go ahead, kick me right now." Cobra shamelessly thrust out his Nefertari Royal Family buttocks, leaning toward Michael.

"If you've got the guts, kick me down right now... That way I won't have to look at the financial reports from all over that just arrived yesterday..."

"Damn it! You're threatening the highest leader!"

"Is there any supreme leader like you who slacks off during work hours!?" Cobra rolled his eyes and sat down beside Michael.

"Actually... you don't need to be so conflicted. Lily's existence merely accelerated the inertia of history a bit earlier... Even without Lily, another entity would have emerged to control the entire Celestial Dragons and the World Government, eventually turning the whole world into a one-voice dictatorship. So, the problem doesn't lie with Lily... This isn't about whitewashing her. I just want you to know... don't dwell on it too much."

"Most importantly... the Lily of now is no longer the 'Im-sama' who once ruled the entire world..."

"From now on, there's only an old father and his comatose daughter..."

"In a way, it's a good ending."